Multimedia devices such as VCRs, DVD players, MP3 players, cassette players, CD players, video tape editors, and the new class of Digital Video Recorders (DVR) are extremely popular with consumers. Almost every household in the United States has at least one of these devices.
Multimedia devices must have some way of jumping through the program material to allow the user to select his desired position in the program material. This has commonly been achieved using a fast forward and reverse mode. The fast forward mode moves through the program material in a forward progression and the reverse mode moves backwards in program material.
The user simply presses a button (typically on a remote control) to initiate a fast forward or reverse mode and then presses a button to terminate the fast forward or reverse mode. A remote control is used on a majority of devices to control the playback of material as well as menu display and item selection. A DVR, for example, presents the user with a graphical user interface that allows the user to select television shows being broadcast or programs that have been stored on the DVR. A user uses a remote control to navigate through the DVR's menus and to select menu items and playback recorded programs.
A drawback to a typical DVR's operation, for example, is that the DVR does not distinguish between a single user and a family of users. The DVR recognizes that a remote control is being used, but does not distinguish which member of a family is using the remote control. The DVR records programs for an entire family and displays information and recordings as if a single user has configured the DVR. The DVR does not distinguish whether a program recorded for an adult family member is being viewed by an underage family member.
Further, the DVR retains a user's viewing preferences within the DVR itself. A user that travels frequently is unable to view programs that his DVR is recording while the user is away from home. The user cannot view those programs until he returns to his home.
It would be advantageous to provide a mobile personalization system that is able to identify the current user. It would further be advantageous to provide a system that allows a user to transfer his viewing and/or operational preferences to other devices.